TASNIM
COMPANY INFO
Tasnim was founded in Austria by Russian immigrants from the Islamic community of Dagestan, located in southern Russia. The company has developed a controversial reputation among black seed oil resellers in Europe and Russia. Numerous negative reports have surfaced, primarily involving allegations of manipulating oil potency and using intellectual property stolen from competitors — claims that we were able to partially verify through our own investigation.
Today, Tasnim offers a small range of products including black seed oil, various vitamins, herbal extracts, and supplements.
In 2024, the company expanded to the U.S. market by opening a representative office in Florida, from which they now deliver bottled oil directly imported from Austria.
● On March 20, 2025, we contacted Tasnim by email requesting product information and any available laboratory analyses. We received no response. As a result, all details provided in this review were gathered independently through publicly available online sources.
It’s important to note that only three companies responded to our email inquiries: Piping Rock, Bionatal, and Prime Natural.
PACKING AND SAFETY SEAL
The product comes in a standard European dark glass bottle with a plastic cap covered by an aluminum shell and a tamper-evident plastic ring at the neck. A plastic dropper insert is located inside the bottle neck. Notably, the packaging does not include a shrink wrap or foil seal.
The aluminum cap on the bottle we received was heavily dented, likely due to damage sustained during shipping from Austria.
● Despite this damage, the bottle’s internal seal appears strong enough to prevent leaks—even in hot conditions, when black seed oil can expand by up to 20% during transportation.
Additional Container Types Available:
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Tasnim also offers a larger 500ml (16.9 oz) version in a European-style aluminum container. However, it’s worth noting that aluminum is not an ideal material for storing acidic oils like black seed oil, as it may react with the contents over time, even with the golden internal surface.
SEEDS ORIGIN
According to three consistent sources—the official website, the product label, and the Amazon product description—the seeds used in Tasnim’s black seed oil are sourced from Ethiopia.
OIL DISCRIPTION
The oil’s aroma and flavor profile are indicative of Ethiopian origin. However, the oil has a cloudy, very dark appearance with a noticeable reddish hue. This reddish tone is typically associated with seeds harvested from lower-elevation farms, which generally yield oil with standard potency, as opposed to the enhanced strength found in seeds from high-altitude regions.
Additionally, seeds from that region are often mixed with other seeds, which reduces the potency of the extracted oil but allows resellers to lower prices. Purchasing seeds from resellers typically ensures a suboptimal outcome. The reddish hue is likely direct evidence of such seed blending.
THYMOQUINONE (TQ)
Although the product label does not list a specific thymoquinone level, promotional images and claims on the brand’s website suggest the oil contains 21% of TQ. Based on our knowledge, research and experience, this figure is highly unrealistic, better say impossible.
To date, the highest officially confirmed TQ level in black seed oil is 4.64% (Bionatal official testing results are public), found in oil made from seeds grown at very high elevations, as reported by Bionatal. Seeds from lower elevations, like those likely used by Tasnim, typically yield TQ levels ranging between 1.5% and 3%.
To verify Tasnim’s claims, we submitted a bottle to a well-regarded U.S. laboratory. This was the only reliable way to assess the product’s actual TQ content.
Considering the company's claim of 21% TQ, the final test results were startling. A result of 1.56% directly confirms our suspicions about seeds from lower-elevation farms and likely seed mixing.
TABLE OF ANALYSIS
Extraction oil videos & photos
NO
Acids pH level analyses
NO
Nigellon level
NO
Non-filtered oil with seeds
NO
Thymoquinone level
YES
Volatile Oils level
NO
Cold press method analyses
NO
Thymohydroquinone level
NO
Heavy Metals level analyses
NO
Thymol level
NO
Industry Clarifications:
(The following industry points are worth noting)
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"Unrefined" ≠ Non-Filtered: Even unrefined oils are typically filtered and don’t contain seed particles.
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"Cold Press" misuse on the label: The term is widely used without proof. True cold pressing should be validated by testing for compounds like Benzo(a)pyrene and related PAHs.
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"Organic" ≠ Pesticide-Free: USDA standards still allow natural pesticides (§§ 205.601 - 205.602). No Nigella sativa seeds are entirely free from them.
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"Non-GMO" claims are unnecessary: Nigella sativa is not genetically modified, and global demand doesn’t justify GMO cultivation.
FINAL RANKING #BUSTED
While this product is presented as Ethiopian black seed oil, the company behind it—Tasnim—has a poor reputation across Europe and Russia. Multiple customer reports claim that when the company faces logistical issues, they ship non-Ethiopian oil instead, without informing buyers.
Despite claiming a 21% TQ content in the oil, the actual result was only 1.56%, significantly below Ethiopian average and clearly indicative of seeds from lower-quality Ethiopian farm regions. The reddish hue further raises serious concerns about the seeds' purity, suggesting they may be mixed rather than sourced from a single farm.
Even more concerning, Tasnim has plagiarized five years’ worth of black seed oil research conducted by Bionatal, publishing the unique data on their own website and falsely claiming it as their own work. The original information is on the Bionatal YouTube channel, Black Seed Oil Analysis playlist folder (20 videos of investigations).
Due to its lack of consistency, unreliable sourcing, and dishonest practices, this brand is #BUSTED in our ranking. A product can’t be trusted if the company behind it isn’t.
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